Fowl knife



June 17, 1941. L PTON ET AL 2,245,880

FOWL KNIFE Filed Nov. 3, 1939 /2 Z gym; a WWW A iiorneys Patented June 17, '1941 FOVVL KNIFE Leonard J. Tipton, Henry M. Yagge, and James A. Bowman, Neosho, Mo.; said Tipton assignor of one-sixth to said Yagge and one-sixth to said Bowman Application November 3, 1939, Serial No. 302,770

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in fowl knives and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character through the medium of which the bird may be subjected to an electric shock by which said bird may be killed or stunned before its is bled.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide an electric fowl knife of the aforementioned character which may be expeditiously assembled and taken apart when desired.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a fowl knife of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view, showing the handle separated from the rest of the device.

Figure 3 is a detail view in perspective of the socket member.

Figure 4 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the device, a portion of the blade being broken away.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a handle I, which may be of any suitable insulating mate rial. Extending longitudinally through the handle I is a bore 2 having an enlarged rear portion 3. The forward end of the handle I has formed therein a recess 4 with which the bore 2 communicates.

Removably mounted on the forward end of the handle I is a blade 5 of suitable metal. Fixed on the rear end of the blade 5 is a head 6 in the form of a substantially flat metallic plate which is adapted to seat in the recess 4. Fixed on the head 6 is a shank I which is insertable in the bore 2, said shank including a threaded free end portion 8 which projects into the enlargement 3 of said bore 2.

Mounted in the enlargement 3 of the bore 2 is a metallic socket member 9 having extending thereinto from its forward end a threaded bore ID for the reception of the threaded portion 8 of the shank l. The socket member 9 engages, at its inner end, with the shoulder II which is provided in the handle I by the enlargement 3 of the bore 2. At its rear end the socket member 9 is provided with an external flange I2 which is countersunk in the rear end portion of the handle I and which has formed therein notches or slots l3 for receiving a suitable tool for threading said socket member on or off the shank l.

The reference numeral I l designates an insulated platform on which the operator may stand. Mounted on the platform [4 is a self opening foot switch i5. A conductor cord l5 of suitable length electrically connects the socket member 9 with the switch l5. The switch l5, in turn, is connected by a conductor I! with any suitable source of electric current. While the cord I6 is represented as having a pair of conductors therein for the purpose of durability, one conductor should suffice. The conductors have their knife ends soldered together and to the socket 9 in the slot I8, as at 9* (see Figs. 3 and 4).

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. In the mass killing of fowls, the fowls are pulled by a conveyor (not shown) along a table. The fowls are attached to the conveyor and the latter, in carrying out the present invention, is grounded. The table (not shown) is preferably of insulation, or if not of such material, then suitably-insulated from ground. Briefly, the operator stands on the insulated platform l4 and grips the handle I of the knife in one hand. The switch I 5 is closed with one foot and the blade 5 contacted with the bird, thereby killing or stunning said bird, as current will pass from the conductor or conductors of the cord l6 to the knife 5 and from there through the fowl to the grounded conveyor (not shown). When this has been done the blade 5 may be utilized to bleed the bird in the usual manner or for any other purpose. The knife may be readily disassembled when desired by simply unscrewing the socket member 9 from the threaded portion 8 of the shank I. When the socket member 9 is tightened on the shank l the head'fi is firmly seated.

is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

An electric knife comprising a handle having a bore extending longitudinally therein from one end thereof, said handle having a counterbore communicating with the first mentioned bore and extending inwardly from the opposite end of the handle, a metallic socket disposed in the counterbore and having a threaded bore in the inner end thereof, a knife blade provided with a shank disposed into the first mentioned bore and provided with threads for threaded engagement with the threaded bore of the socket, an electric conductor extending into and connected to the socket, and a head on the knife blade from which the shank extends, said head being adapted for abutting relation with one end of the handle, the first mentioned bore and counterbore defining a shoulder in the handle against which the inner end of the socket abuts, said blade and shank being of conductive material.

LEONARD J. TIPTON.

HENRY M. YAGGE.

JAMES A. BOWMAN. 

